Christina Arnone

Experience

Directors & Officers, Professional Liability and Cyber Policies

• Secured coverage on behalf of financial services client on claims against cyber insurers arising from ransomware attack and data breach involving theft of customer confidential information and resulting class action litigation.
• Successfully resolved multi-million dollar disputed insurance claim for real estate software client under D&O policy after insurer refused to pay costs of defense and settlement to resolve bet-the-company litigation.
• Advised international financial services client on coverage issues pertaining to claims of trust mismanagement involving hundreds of millions of dollars in alleged damages.
• Secured reversal of insurer's coverage denial and coverage acknowledgement under D&O policy on behalf of financial institution defending overdraft fee class action litigation.
• Represented contractor in securing insurance coverage under errors and omissions policies to defend and resolve litigation alleging $100M+ in damages on skyscraper building project in New York City.
• Advised technology service providers and law firm to secure maximum recoveries under cyber insurance policies for ransomware attacks and resulting losses.
• Successfully settled disputed insurance claims on behalf of payroll processer under errors and omissions policy prior to litigation.
• Represented bankrupt corporation's former directors and officers in recovering disputed proceeds under D&O policies to resolve adversary proceeding for alleged corporate mismanagement, advancing winning coverage arguments before bankruptcy court to secure full recovery and end litigation.

Environmental Liability/Pollution & General Liability Policies

• Secured reversal of insurer's coverage denial and coverage acknowledgement for school district's costs and legal fees arising from allegations of hexavalent chromium contamination at school facilities.
• Representing manufacturer on disputed coverage claim for legal fees incurred in connection with CERCLA litigation and regulatory investigation arising from groundwater contamination.
• Successful resolution of two lawsuits for employer's liability and general liability insurance coverage arising out of multiple explosion-related bodily injury lawsuits against energy industry clients.

Bankruptcy & Mass Tort

• Insurance trial counsel for the Unsecured Creditors' Committee for the bankruptcy of the Archdiocese of Agaña during a multi-week trial over the plan of reorganization filed by the Boy Scouts of America.
• Helped secure more than $250 million in insurance proceeds from dozens of insurers for hundreds of clergy sexual abuse claims as insurance coverage counsel to numerous Unsecured Creditors' Committees for the bankruptcies of Roman Catholic Dioceses across the United States.
• Regularly led the Committees' negotiations against insurers to secure settlements for tens to hundreds of millions of dollars per bankruptcy, and negotiated terms of bankruptcy reorganization acceptable to the debtors, the insurers, affiliated non-bankrupt entities, creditors and the court. Uncovered evidence of missing policies in two bankruptcies providing additional potential assets of $100+ million. Drafted joint plans of reorganization that became models in later mass tort bankruptcy plans across the country, to preserve rights against non-settling insurers after discharge and provide a pathway to post-confirmation litigation of creditors' claims.
• Insurance counsel for Unsecured Creditors' Committee in bankruptcy of correctional healthcare company arising from hundreds of malpractice claims.

Product Contamination & Recall

• Successful representation of multiple food manufacturers that secured millions of dollars in recoveries under product contamination/recall insurance policies for losses arising from pathogen contamination.

Property & Business Interruption

• Secured recovery on a $20 million+ claim for fire-related losses to a large shopping center on behalf of commercial real estate owner.
• Successfully prosecuted a lawsuit against a property insurer on behalf of a chain of pawn shops for property damage caused by civil unrest in a case involving the appropriate number of policy deductibles for incidents of civil unrest and rioting.
• Successful resolution of lawsuit over $25 million property insurance loss resulting from fire at historic commercial property.
• Secured pre-litigation recovery on disputed multimillion dollar business interruption insurance claim arising from a mass shooting.
• Recovered more than $1 million from property insurer that failed to honor bank's loss payee rights with respect to damages from microburst.
• Successful pre-litigation resolution of $5 million property insurance claim resulting from structural collapse at a university.
• Advised REIT in securing two $5 million+ recoveries from property insurers as a result of fire and flood-related losses at resort properties.

Broker Errors & Omissions

• Successfully prosecuted lawsuit against insurance broker for errors and omissions during placement of coverage for historic skyscraper resulting in damages in excess of $5 million.
• Routinely advises clients on broker and third-party administrator obligations.

Other Litigation

• Secured summary judgment on all claims against municipality in lawsuit alleging $14M+ in damages arising from fire at commercial facilities after a utility pole failure, resulting in dismissal of litigation and award of sanctions against plaintiff for discovery violations.
• Represented greeting card company in obtaining $31.3 million verdict for misappropriation of trade secrets, affirmed by Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, Hallmark Cards, Inc. v. Monitor Clipper Partners, LLC, 758 F.3d 1051 (8^th 2014).

Recognitions

Professional & Civic Activities